{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O320891"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O320891/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O320891","accessionNumber":"W.13-1977","objectType":"Ladder","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This ladder, which slopes like the companion-way of a ship, was designed by the Canadian born architect Wells Coates (1895-1958) for the studio flat that he designed for himself in Yeoman's Row, Knightsbridge in 1935.  Wells Coates had been brought up partly in Japan, and admired the compact design of Japanese houses and the calm that their relative lack of furniture produced.  In his own flat, the majority of space was given over to a high living room, with a large studio window.  The ladder gave access to a sleeping platform for the owner.  Provision for guest was provided on the other side of the room, with a simpler, vertical ladder. ","physicalDescription":"A metal ladder for access to a sleeping platform, designed by the Modernist architect Wells Coates for his flat in Yeoman's Row, Knightbridge. The ladder was originally painted Eton blue","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Coates, Wells","id":"A3035"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":"designed to give access to a sleeping platform in his own flat in Yeoman's Row, Knightbridge, London"}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Steel","id":"AAT133751"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"A ladder of steel tube, originally painted blue. The ladder is sloping, rather than vertical, in the manner of a ship's companion way, and has four steps and a low platform. To the right, a second handrail forms a tall rectangle against the wall, with the upright of the ladder.","categories":[{"text":"Architectural fittings","id":"THES48994"}],"styles":[{"text":"Modernist","id":"AAT21474"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES341938"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES342167"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES342167"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES342167"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES342167"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES342167"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES342167"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Ladder","id":"AAT22376"}],[{"text":"Step","id":"AAT3312"}],[{"text":"Step","id":"AAT3312"}],[{"text":"Step","id":"AAT3312"}],[{"text":"Step","id":"AAT3312"}],[{"text":"Step","id":"AAT3312"}],[{"text":"Fragments","id":"AAT117130"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1935","earliest":"1935-01-01","latest":"1935-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"W.14-1977","id":"O368646"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"W.15-1977","id":"O129926"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"W.15-1977","id":"O129926"},"association":""}],"creditLine":"Given by Mrs Laura Cohn, daughter of the designer","dimensions":[],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This bed ladder was designed by the Modernist architect Wells Coates (1895-1958) for the raised bed platform in his flat at 18 Yeoman's Row, Knightsbridge, built in 1935. Yeoman's Row runs south from Brompton Road to Walton Street, just to the east of the Victoria and Albert Museum.  The flat, which was designed with much built-in furniture, featured two raised sleeping platforms. Wells Coates disliked moveable furniture and once remarked that the only sensible place to sit was on the floor.\n\nThe ladder was shown in a photograph of the door to the passage in the flat published in the <i>Architectural Review</i> 1937, p.54, and a close-up of the ladder is shown on p. 56 (the whole article runs from pp. 53-58. At that time the architect had lived in the flat for about eighteen months.  In the text he notes that the steel ladders were painted 'Eton blue'. \n\nHe commented on his very yacht-like planning of the flat on p. 55: 'The particular principle of \"planning in section\" used in this design, can be explained best by these plans and section. You cannot get two complete floor levels, with proper headroom, in a total floor to ceiling height of 12 ft. Your programme demands that the largest possible space of full ceiling height is available for \"living\" in. You do not want a \"separate\" bedroom (although the design allows for it, if this is to be a condition). Your furniture and equipment is to be an integral part of the design, planned to enclose every cubic inch of space, and disposed to use and convenience at every point. \nThe \"normal\" void under a bed is captured to provide head room in the bathroom or the kitchen, where you want it. The bridge, along which you walk to get to the bed-spaces, is above your wardrobe or your kitchen fittings, and at a point on the plan which does not require you to <i>walk through it</i>. The elements of the plan are highly restricted: you will find great difficulty in altering the basic principle: if you \"removed a single part of it, it would not be that thing, but become another, lesser thing, or become nothing.\" The single-bed cabin (to put up a friend for the night) is provided with its own services and equipment, and is reached from the main studio floor only.'\n\nWells Coates lived at Yeoman's Row from 1935 to 1955. The ladder remained with the family of Wells Coates until given to the Museum by his daughter Mrs Laura Cohn(Registered File 75/2224), who sold to the Museum at the same time a drinks cupboard from the flat (W.14-1977) and a wardrobe (W.15-1977).","historicalContext":"This ladder was used to give access to the main sleeping platform in a studio flat. A simpler, upright ladder, gave access to a guest sleeping platform on the other side of the main door to the flat.","briefDescription":"A metal ladder for access to a sleeping platform, designed by the Modernist architect Wells Coates for his flat in Yeoman's Row, Knightsbridge, 1935","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Coates, Wells, 'Planning in Section', in 'Architect's Note', <i>Architectural Review</i>, vol LXXXII, July 1937, pp. 53-58"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["W.13:1-1977","W.13:2-1977","W.13:3-1977","W.13:4-1977","W.13:5-1977","W.13:6-1977","W.13:7-1977"],"accessionNumberNum":"13","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1977,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-30","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":true}}